building a sump...need some help

[The Grizz]

You could adapt my design to fit your sump dimensions. Put your refugium first, skimmer section just big enough for the skimmer and make your return small as it really does not have to hold much water.

Split you sump 12" back - 6" front, but refugium 1st, then skimmer, bubble trap and then return.

[whatcaneyedo]

I'm more of a big ugly stock trough person myself but Melev has a lot of sump designs and advice on his site here http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html just look down the left hand column for the different models.

[sphelps]

OK here's the general layout done in CAD followed by the final product pictures. In the CAD drawing all features are not shown and I altered the final product slightly to accommodate for a higher flow rate. The basic dimensions are the same though. If you omit the water reservoir you'll end up with dimensions very close to what you're looking for (30x18x16). Also please note that this is purely for reference purposes only, not open to criticism and was designed for someone else. Your exact needs/wants will not necessarily match this exact model.

[The Grizz]

Wow nice job, how do you find your refugium works being after the skimmer? I have always read that the refugium should ALWAYS be before any skimmers.

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

Wow nice job, how do you find your refugium works being after the skimmer? I have always read that the refugium should ALWAYS be before any skimmers.

You could put it anywhere and it would make little difference, if you were to justify either or I would think after makes more sense. The two main reasons for running a refugium in my mind is nutrient export and pod culturing. Since the nutrients targeted by a skimmer and a refugium are in different stages of the nitrogen cycle this would not effect position, but a skimmer after the refugium could reduce the pod flow to the display. I also don't like the idea of refugium being a garbage dump so closest to the end is a little better in that respect.

Some also prefer to have the refugium separate and not inline, I just build whatever people prefer, if they have no preference I usually go inline at the end for the reasons above and simplicity.

[findingnemo1]

I have always put my fuge after the skimmers, especially to help out my pod population as well.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by findingnemo1

I have always put my fuge after the skimmers, especially to help out my pod population as well.

WTF now you chime in Lisa Where were you when I was planning & building my sump I don't know where you where because you don't answer your phone when I call

[mr.wilson]

I prefer to use a simple, less is more system. If your drain is properly set-up with a siphon and partial bypass emergency overflow you will not get microbubbles so bubble traps are not as important as they were in the days of poorly designed protein skimmers.

My sump design is described in this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=969713
basically, it's a zoned sump that utilizes a lot of features in a small space. Detritus settling first compartment with a protein skimmer that moves water to the next compartment to assure that all the water is processed and done so only once.

The refugium is elevated to get optimum use of lighting and avoid algae overgrowth & subsequent die-off. Elevating the macro algae leaves room below to foster the growth of water polishing, non-photosynthetic benthic inverts. I use eggcrate to provide more sites for them to attach, but others prefer live rock.

An emergency overflow bulkhead is a nice feature with a small sump, but a well placed anti-siphon hole in the return line is a sufficient fail safe.

I find mechanical filters to be useful. Just a simple sponge that can be rinsed out periodically. They fell out of fashion when people mistakenly thought they encourage nitrification (residual nitrate), and that corals rely on detritus floating around the tank for food.

Live food from the refugium is unlikely to make it to the display tank no matter how you locate it. The best way to add pods is to shake out a clump of macro algae in the tank every few days and as you harvest it. Copepods etc. stay in the rocks, algae and substrate for the most part so they are unlikely to be sucked up by a pump or overflow a gravity drain.

I don't have a problem with media reactors, but I prefer media bags due to their ease in replacing. The fewer excuses I have to avoid doing it, the more likely I am to do it (clean/replace). It frees up some money and space if you limit fluidized bed reactors to iron based phosphate remover.

Some probe holders are always an asset. Another short coming is an undersized strainer on the sump intake. They tend to clog quickly with stray algae strands and greatly diminish the return pumps capacity.

I use a mechanical float valve in addition to an electrical float switch as a fail safe. If the primary float switch fails and stays on, the secondary (emergency only) float switch is located higher and shuts down the flow. Some of the mounting hardware on the top-up kits out there are a little sketchy, so make sure your sump has a good place to affix it with plastic screws and or cable ties.

It's also a good idea to mount anything that can leak in or at least over the sump. With a relatively small sump such as yours, you can place it on a rubbermaid storage container (like the ones that fit under a bed) to catch drips from servicing, or if you want to get fancy, you can install a drain bulkhead in the rubbermaid container to dispatch bigger leaks.

A common protein skimmer problem with sumps is finding room to extract the top when it comes time to clean it. Rethink your plumbing to assure you have clearance for all of your equipment.

[rjengen]

Thanks guys...I have an idea in my head now of what to do...I'll post some pics when the baffle glass shows up